The famous magician and escape artist Harry Houdini (Ehrich Weiss) died on Halloween Day, 1926, in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 52. The official cause of death was peritonitis caused by appendicitis. An urban legend persists that Houdini died from a blow to the stomach. He was famous for his remarkable physical condition and could easily withstand blows to his stomach, even from very strong men, by tensing his muscles. Just before his death, while performing in Canada, an overzealous young man wishing to test Houdini punched him several times in the stomach without giving him time to prepare. It is believed by some that these blows ruptured Houdini's appendix. While this may or may not be true, Houdini did not actually die from the ruptured appendix but rather from a bacterial infection related to the appendicitis. However, the discomfort caused by this attack may have masked the pain of the appendix and delayed Houdini from seeking medical treatment until it was too late. Another urban legend persists that Houdini died during a failed escape from the infamous Chinese Water Torture Cell. This misconception arose from a 1953 movie in which Tony Curtis played Houdini and which ended with the magician dying in just that fashion. The account, however, was entirely fictional. Houdini's funeral was held on November 4, 1926, and was attended by over 2,000 people. He was buried in the Machpelah Cemetery in Queens, New York.